Wow, I had a great life so far.   It's super long but if you are bored, read on.

I was born in Tokyo, Japan.   My family and I moved to Singapore when I was 5 and lived there for about 8 years.   I went to Japanese school there so I won't fall behind on Japanese education in case we move back to Japan.   Oh and I learned how to swim there too.   I guess my parents thought it'll be good for me to know how to swim since Singapore's freaking hot and humid everyday.   It wasn't my choice tho, I hated water and couldn't even put my face in the water.   I just remember trying to ditch practices with my friends as much as possible.  

After that we moved to Southern California to a city called Hacienda Heights, about 25 miles east of LA.   Only cool thing we had there was a shitty mall where Back to the Future was filmed.   So much for Japanese education...   now in Cali at age 13 I had to learn a whole new language.

I joined a swim team and a water polo team at my high school, Los Altos.   I don't know why 'cuz I didn't even like swimming but I guess I was good at it and it was a great way to get out of my FOB status.  

I started washing dishes at a Sushi restaurant when I was 14 to save money for a car when I turn 16.   Having a car was a must since everything was so far away and the public transportations sucked over there.  

I tried surfing when I was 16 and a car of my own.   I used to make an hour drive to Huntington Beach all the time.   I could barely stand up but something about surfing I just loved.  

When I was 17 my family moved to Japan.   I was supposed to move with them but I talked to my parents into letting me stay in Cali..   So there I was, 17 years old, junior in high school (oh yeah, I got held back one year for not speaking the language...) had my own place.  

I discovered snowboarding around that time.   I think I was more into snowboarding than surfing 'cuz I got decent at it pretty fast.   I was only surfing maybe only 4 times a month but snowboarding 3-4 times a week during the season.  

Finished high school and a part of the deal I had with my parents for letting me stay was that I go to a 4-year college.   I didn't want to but deal's a deal.   I was so sick and tired of swimming so I rejected offers from some universities for swimming and went to Cal Poly Pomona.   I studied International Business and Marketing there.   After 6 and a half years I finally got my 2 degrees there and I was off to the real world.  

While in college I was making money doing graphic design and managing a punk band.   Don't know how it all started but I was just helping out my friend's band and ended up managing them.  

During my college years I pretty much quit snowboarding 'cuz I was keep hurting myself and I was back surfing lot more.

I was out there going to interviews in my suit for a while then I realized I don't want to work for anyone.   I got together with my friend Dave and started a screen printing business.   We sold the business after a few years and I moved to Hawaii and Dave went to a law school.  

Once in Hawaii I rediscovered joy of surfing and that's all I was doing until I needed some $$$.  

When my friends' band was in town and hanging out with them I met Tina Lau (the owner of Davidson Photography).   I was always interested in photography so I hit her up for a job.   Her first question was "Do you have any experience?" to that I answered "No, but look at me I'm Japanese, I've been taking pictures since I was 2!" she hired me at the spot.   So she trained me and I worked for her for 4 years.  

While I was at Davidson Photography I met Reid Inouye (the man of Heavywater Mag) through Tina.   I wanted to get in the surf industry so I talked him into letting me deliver the mags for him.   I started taking more surfing photos on my free time and after a few years Reid finally started using my shots in the mag.  

I left Davidson Photography in April of 2007 and now I'm on my own doing my thing taking pictures of surfing working with Heavywater magazine.   Now I am Heavywater's staff photog and take care of their website.  

www.NovusSwell.com
It's my new 18 and under Online Surf Magazine! Please check it out!

If you are in Waikiki, you gotta checkout 88tees!

A sick brand from right here in Hawaii!

He shapes all my boards! Contact him and let him know Kaz sent you!

You've seen the mag! I'm their staff photog and take care of their web site!

 
This has nothing to do with surfing or photography but worth checking out! Why? 'Cuz it's own by my older brother Aki and it is the #1 recipe exchange site in Japan. Sorry, it's in Japanese only tho...

I'm their Grom Surf Team Manager now!

Check me out on Myspace.